Part-V A Glimpse of Rig-Veda
(Copy right protected by Dr. G.S. Tripathy)
Purish:- This is the embodiment of the universal soul for which a Sukta is there in Rig-Veda for purish. It is thus regarded as the origin of the universe. The sukta is composed in the anushtupa and trishtupa metres and is ascribed to the sage Narayana.
The supreme God head is the Purush who has thousand heads, thousand eyes and thousand feet. From four directions he surrounds the earth. One of his figures is only ten – fingers tall which pervades creation.
There is another interpretation. Purush or Paramatma also has a manifestation in terms of the individual soul or jibatma. It is the atma which ten-fingers in length.
It is the purush who is the present past and future. Through food grains only purush flourishes. He is the lord of immortality and of divine bliss.
Immense is the greatness of the Purush. But there is a Purush who is much superior as well, known as Brahma, the creator of cosmos and the universe.
In heaven three of the Purush’s footsteps can be traced. Into four quarters His form is divided. One furth of his form is born again and again in the universe in the shape of living beings. In the four directions He created beings that live on food grains and there are certain beings that do not.
Beings that are sentient live on food grains. The others are insentient.
Virat was created from Purush only. Above virat, there is a greater Purush. Virat was divided into various parts. First the land and the world was created and physical bodies emerged later on. Virat is regarded as the female counterpart of the Primaval Purush.
The God offered oblations to Purush and Virat. A sacrifice was performed for them. The spring season was the clarified butter that was offered on the occasion of sacrifice. The summer season was kindling and the autumn season was the oblation.
Virat was first to be created and deserved to be worshipped. The God and the sages, Virat and Purush performed their sacrifice in their honour.
Curds were obtained from that sacrifice and then clarified butter.
The birds that fly in the sky were created. The animals that live in the forests where vayu rules, also emerged. Domesticated animals were also created.
The mantras of the Rig-Veda were emerged from the sacrifice. Also some hymns, various metres and mantras of the Atharv-Veda and the mantras of the Yajur-Veda were also emerged.
From the mouth of the Purush learned Brahmans were born. From his arms the brave Kshatriyas were born. From his thith were born Vaishyas and from his feet were born the Sudras (Slave class).
The moon was created from the mind of the Paramatma. His eyes became the sun. Indra and Agni were born from his mouth. Vayu was created from the breath of life.
The atmosphere was made from the navel of Paramatma. His head became heaven and earth from his feet. The directions were created from his ears. In this fashion other worlds can be thought of to have been created from other parts of Paramatma’s anatomy.
With the aid of the Purush, Gods began to perform sacrifice. This was one of the righteous acts ever performed.
Nice Metaphor:
The three eternals are – Nature, Soul and God. According to others Brahma, Jibatma & Maya are the three eternals. The verse containing these eternals is a nice metaphor (This explains the creation of three externals as family). The countless Jivas, primordial matter and the infinite supreme only are the three eternals and none of there is born or die.
The eternal soul and the individual soul or Jivatma are both conscious and attached to each other like friends. These two live together as birds on a tree as revealed metaphorically. The world of matter is the tree that symbolizes. The individual soul or Jivatma fails to recognize the supreme soul due to ignorance. In the enjoyment of the mundane pleasures. It remains absorbed experiencing the difficuilties and sorrow of life. As a silent spectator or witness the supreme soul or Paramatma remains existent by recording the action of the Jivatma.
Perching on the same tree has birds are closely associated. The lower only tasks its fruits where as the other the superior shines resplendently with out testing it.
Urvashi & Pururava
Urvashi & Pururava are ascribed as the divinities to whom this hymn is addressed specially in this sukta. They are also described as sages to whom this hymn is ascribed. Between universe and Pururava, the entire hymn is in the form of a dialogue. In the trishtupa metre the sukta is composed.
Pururava has been interpreted as the morning sun in a naturalistic sense and Urvashi as the dawn. On a more earthly legend the sukta in question is however based. Urvashi was an Apsara from heaven who was cursed and banished to this mundane earth.
King Pururava was encountered by Urvashi and the king wanted to marry her. Both of them agreed for marriage, subject to two conditions being met.
First Condition:- Pururava should always take care of two rams possessed by Urvashi.
The Second:- That Urvashi should never see Pururava naked.
For four years the couple married and lived together happily. But the Gandharavas plotted to take Urvashi back to heaven. One night they stole one of the rams. To catch the thief, Pururava rose from his bed without having the time to put his clothes on in an attempt. There was a flash of lightening at that moment. Urvashi caught a glimpse of her husband naked.
Since both the conditions were violated Urvashi vanished and returned to heaven.
Pururava met her subsequently and requested her to return to him, until a son was born to them, Urvashi consented.
Herbs:- In the anushtupa metre, the hymn pertaining to herbs is composed.
Many are the forms that herbs take. They are full of juices. In three different periods of time the Gods gave birth to herbs. They were spring, monsoon and autumn.
SHRADDHA:- SHRADDHA connotes respect, faith and devotion. In the sukta which follows shradha is itself described as the sage to whom the sukta is ascribed.
The hymn is composed in the anushtupa metre. It is through devotion that the fire is kindled in every household. Those oblations are offered at a sacrifice only through devotion and we praise shraddha. It is the best of all riches.
Oh! Shraddha :- May the desire of one who gives alms be fulfilled and ensure the welfare of one who is generous.
- Pray to devotion in the morning, middle of the day and in the evening.
- Grant devotion to those of us who live in this world.
From the word “Srat”, Sharddha is derived, which means truth. That the divine forces of the creation are founded on truth as also our social fabric on truth only. In the ultimate triumph of truth in our individual and social affair, it signifies implicit faith. Truth prevails in the long run. Supreme Lord or Brahma is the source of truth which is shraddha. The movement of the smallest and largest objects in the universe is governed by the power of absolute truth which is Brahma only. There are moments when man finds himself crest-fallen though sometimes in his disrespectful impudence vaunts to be the arbitrator of his destiny. But the supreme power before whom he is to surrender, he then quickly realizes that it is not he.
As firm brief in the truth underlying the visible and invisible universe, thus shraddha is to be understood.
In other words, adoption of truth in life is nothing but Shraddha.
The Mother Cow
At par with the Brahma and the cow the mother, Vedic texts have adored and prayed the mother. In stead of mother’s milk, a baby lives on the milk of the cow. The milk of the cow is prescribed as diet for a patient by the doctor when other forms of food are forbidden.
The scriptures have described cow-milk as ambrosia for that reason only. For the health of a human being the milk of a cow along with curd, butter, cow-dung are most beneficial. For a house the cow is considered to be most auspicious.
The verse says, “Great is the abundance that is attributed to you in our auspicious ceremonies.” ‘O’ mother cow.
- Cow is our Mother -
Hence it is barbarous and criminal to kill a cow. Let no hostile weapon fall on a cow and let no thief carry her away.
Goddess Saraswati:- The symbolic Goddess of speech is Saraswati in the divine texts of Vedas. In many verses Brahma is also adored as Saraswati the bestower of revealed knowledge. The following movement of knowledge refers to Saraswati which refers to stream literally. In the heart of an aspirants it is the over flowing inspiration that emerges from his.
Truth Consciousness Life – Fabric and “Manurbhava”
With the threads of his actions man is a weaver who weaves his life having no stoppage. The more glorious is the life – fabric the nobles are his deeds. Man should perform all actions with the light of knowledge like wise as the weaver weaves, clothes in brightness of light to avoid joint and twist in the woven material. For a smooth and harmonious life by sacred acts and divine wisdom our wise ancestors have devised pathways which we should follow sincerely with determination and devotion as per the verse pertaining to the fabric of life.
May you first strive to become man – “Manurbhava”. When man sets the reins of his mind light and controls the horses of the sense organs, this is only possible. By weaving the threads of divine knowledge free from defect one should be resolute to guard and enrich the splendor of human life.
To love and to serve is the inherent nature of man. When he embraces sectarian views, man is degraded because he starts thinking and doing in a sprit of envy, hatred & jealousy.
Establish proximately with the Lord of bliss and rise to the status of an enlightened one.
Source of Energy:- For the fulfillment of our aspiration and the bestower of divine bliss, the God alone is the inspirer of all noble deeds being the provider of joy and jubilation. Always sing the glory of the resplendent almighty repeatedly in congregational prayer with friends and devotees. God is the source of energy.
Generally we applaud the benevolent people who provide us with grain, clothes and means of livelihood. We thank them. But we forget the supreme God who is the supreme giver of our life energy which is the embodiment of total selfless action and the bestower of our true happiness. We thank the trader while purchasing an article by paying his dues. But we forget to thank our Lord who provides us freely air, water & sunshine for us while we enjoy the same for our living. With wondrous organs God has equipped our body that receives the senses from the universe.
Let us have congregational prayer always to get the energy from the source of energy floating in spiritual ecstasy like the surging waves of the ocean.
Offer my Gratefulness: - I am indebted to them through whom I have reached this stage of my life with their sympathy & help. That debt in life should be repaid by me. By the labour of others, the wealth earned, should not be enjoyed by me.
I should express my gratitude and good wishes if I accept the hospitality of some one. I will offer my gratefulness of some one looks at me smilingly.
With my body and mind, I must serve my parenty by paying the debts incurred by them. To my colleagues, I should be hospitable. To my juniors, I should be affectionate and protective.
By incurring loan, one should not enjoy delicious dishes in accordance with the verse. The thought of loan keeps on tormenting him, even in the divine moment of the early dawn. He cannot distinguish day and night due to the burden. On his head if the person habitually incurs loan. He passes sleepless nights thinking only of the loan made by him.
It is the ungrateful ones who do not confess the loans taken by them and falsely declare themselves that they are bankrupt and take shelter in the count of law.
Prajapati:- There is a sukta which is addressed to Hiranyagarva or Prajapati, the creator. In the anushtupa metre, it is composed and is ascribed to no particular sage.
Prior to the act of creation only Hiranyagarva was there who is the Paramatma or Brahma. He is one and only one who created the universe. He is the source of all happiness.
He provides the knowledge of atma and He is the source of all strength.
- He is the master of all bipeds and quadrupeds.
- The snow-clad mountains have been created by Him only.
- The rivers that flow and the earth that moves are His creations only.
- The four directions owe their origin to His strength only.
- He permeates the past, present and future.
- He is the lord of all God and Brahma is the supreme.
Creation:- There is a sukta on creation also.
- This is addressed to Prajapati.
- It is composed in trishtupa metre.
- It is not ascribed to any sage.
Forests:- The sukta pertaining to forests, addressed to the goddess of forest only.
- It is composed in the anushtupa metre.
- It is ascribed to the sage Devamuni.
- Animals are chanting the praise of the goddess of the forest.
Be alert and rise up:-
“Keep good company to carry out your duties” – says the verse. Mundane life is crooked. Like greed, lust and other impulses in your passage of life and burden of excitements are to be given up.
For a man aspiring to lead a peaceful life, patience and co-operation are the guiding virtues. To sustain and enrich his life smoothly man always needs the help of his fellowmen.
A man lives a happy life in the company of friends with different skills just as a human body comprising a variety of organs with different skills smoothly.
Where its bed is stony and steep, the world is like a torrential stream of mountainous region. ‘Here the velocity of waters is enormous. For a lone traveller, it is always perilous, to cross the river. It is more difficult and risky when he conies heavy luggage.
Like that the life of a mortal is full of challenges in this mundane world.
